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April 8, 2007

G6: Red Sox 3, Rangers 2

Here was one of those moments Terry Francona was talking about the other day when he said Jonathan Papelbon might be called on to put out a fire in the eighth.

Joel Pineiro was in the game, in relief of Curt Schilling (7-4-1-1-6, 102), protecting a 3-1 lead. But Pineiro walked both Gerard Laird and Ian Kinsler, and Kenny Lofton bunted for a base hit. Bases loaded, no outs. Time to Hop on Pap?

Nope. Tito called in Javier Lopez. But with lefty Frank Catalanotto due, and still up by two, it was a reasonable decision. Of course, the Rangers countered with righty Nelson Cruz, who ripped the first pitch off Kevin Youkilis's glove. Yook recovered to get a force at second, but Lofton scored and it was 3-2. Now what?

Tito brought in the Bot. Yes! Excellent call. Would he go five outs? I don't know, but this was the absolute right call to make.

Pap v. Michael Young:

Fastball 94, slightly up and in, swing and miss.Breaking ball 87, low in dirt, ball.Fastball 95, again slightly up and in, swing and miss.Fastball 96, on the low, outside black, called strike three.

Pap v. Mark Teixeira:

Fastball 94, popped up to Lowell on the infield grass.

Five pitches and the fire was out.

The bottom of the ninth: Sammy Sosa fouled off a 93 fastball, then popped up a 94 fastball to Youkilis on the infield dirt. Papelbon threw four breaking balls (88-89) to Hank Blalock (sbbf) before smoking him with a rising fastball at 94. Then Brad Wilkerson swung and missed two fastballs up and out of the strike zone (both at 94) before Papelbon poured a fastball at 96 right down the middle of the plate. Wilkerson just stood there. Game over.

Padilla (7-4-3-1-4, 98) matched Schilling, but the Rangers pitcher had to face David Ortiz and G38 did not. Tiz crushed a solo home run in the first inning and then hit a two-run shot in the third to account for all three of Boston's runs.

I don't know about you, but those last two innings sure didn't feel like an April 8 game. (box)

Tito: "It's just hard to let a game get away without using Pap. I just don't want to see the game decided without him having something to say about it."

Kevin Youkilis twisted his left ankle running down the line after batting in the seventh inning last night and was quickly replaced at first base by Eric Hinske. Yook is not worried: "It's nothing like a sprain or anything. I just rolled it a bit. I'll tape it up and be in there [tonight]."

Padilla allowed six runs and nine hits to the Angels in 4.2 innings on Opening Day. Texas lost 8-3. ... Manny Ramirez is 1-for-8 with four strikeouts against Padilla. JD Drew is 6-for-14 with one home run. ... Frank Catalanotto is 10-for-19 against Schilling with four doubles.

The courant and herald blogs are saying that he will be examined first by the medical team, so, its not written in stone yet about the activation. Also, Dice K and Beckett have left Texas and are on their way home to Boston.

You're right, Redsock, only April 8, but jesuz I wanted this one! Thanks for Schill, Paps and Papi for showing up, although Manny hit some balls hard. Maybe the rest of the crew just need a Fenway home-stand with some warm weather. Otherwise, ugliness lurking.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant, ugliness IS the Boston media. Yeah, how could I forget Drew. He's a ballplayer. Wouldn't surprise me if he was thinking on that steal of third that maybe it was time to stop screwing around and either make something happen or get Pap back out there quick.

Did Joe Morgan make it clear enough that Cora was "not out of the batters box" on that foul ball? I think he said that phrase about 9 times in a 2 minute span. He makes my ears bleed.

Glad to see Papi get his stroke back tonight. Paplebon was amazing. I was pissed that Drew inexplicably attempted to take third with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. He was already in scoring position and running on contact. Just a terrible decision.

I almost threw up Easter dinner when ESPN came back from commercial to show Joel Pinata on the mound to for the eighth. As a long-time Sox fan who's lived in the Northwest for the past 10 years, I know all too well how bad this guy is. I lost some respect for Theo and the crew the day they actually committed millions to Joel Freakin Pinata! Well, fortunately Paps saved the day and Tito now has first-hand experience as to how useless Pinata is. Donnelly is the only former AL West setup man currently on the squad who should ever pitch in a meaningful situation.

Pap was just awesome tonight. But redsock, there's still the issue of the arm--meaning, same situation, but in a September Yankee series, with another game tomorrow. Do you get those two outs in the eighth, and then go with somebody else in the ninth, possibly still with just a one-run lead?

It's all very interesting. Tito ended up being in your hypothetical situation from before--and he split the difference between what you and I said he should. He brought him n when he was needed most like you said, but he waited as long as he could, AND said injury be damned, letting him go the ninth, like I said. Maybe we could co-manage this team--have they contacted you yet? (heh, that one's for you, 9casey)

The five pitches was definitely the deciding factor; Tito, like the rest of the Red Sox management, knows they'd never hear the end of it from all of us if they blew out Paps arm.

Papi seems to once again be the awesomely weird exception to the rule, because power hitters aren't getting it done (for the most part) right now. I think the cold across the country is to blame for the slow start.